FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati baseball team has adopted 10-year-old cancer survivor Alexander Massengill as an honorary teammate through The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, head coach Brian Cleary announced Wednesday.
“We’re glad to have Alex as a part of the team,” said Cleary. “I expect his involvement will be a great benefit to our players.”
Alex, an avid baseball fan, was diagnosed with a medublastoma brain tumor in April 2010. After eight months of procedures and treatments at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Alex has been free of cancer since December. He recently returned back to school and was healthy enough to rejoin his little-league baseball team over the summer.
Alex met the UC baseball team for the first time on Friday. Accompanied by his mother, brother and grandmother, Alex was given a tour of campus and Marge Schott Stadium, and was presented with Bearcats apparel by the team.
As part of the adoption, Alex will be involved with the team at various UC baseball functions throughout academic calendar. Details of those events will be determined at a later date.
The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a charitable organization that improves the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors and their families. FOJ matches a child in need of love, support and friendship with a college or high school sports team based on geographic basis. Through a due diligence process, the foundation screens for the best match based on the child and family’s needs and the team, coach and athletic director’s commitment to our foundation’s goals.
Alex is now the third child that’s been adopted by a UC athletics program. The Cincinnati women’s basketball team adopted Buzz Smith in May, which was preceded by the football team’s adoption of Mitch Stone in July 2009.
To learn more about The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, visit the nonprofit’s website at FriendsofJaclyn.org. To keep up to date with Alex, log on to his CaringBridge.org page.
